Getting out and about

I was invited for brunch at Woodberry Kitchen today. I programmed the address into my GPS and ended up in a world that I never new existed in Baltimore -- a world that was hip, yet small-townish, slowly-paced yet trendy. It was beautiful, and a nice and much needed reminder that Baltimore can still surprise and thrill me. Not only that, but the food there was magnificent; I had biscuits and gravy for the first time in at least 12 years except it was made with smoked rockfish. It was superb.

We planned brunch under the pretense of preparing for National Board examinations, which I'll be taking on June 24th. I haven't prepared at all for them, and it's probably time to start. I haven't even thought about National Boards since I turned in my portfolio on March 31st. It's time. We didn't end up studying; the food and company were too good.

It was so great to get out and about. I've been in a year-long rut, at least, here in Baltimore. It's been a hard year at school (new, stressful class; National Boards; mounting politics), socially (I haven't had much of a social life this year), and health-wise (my weight has ballooned and I just don't feel very good). I'm having visions lately of moving back to Michigan, as I'm homesick and things in Baltimore seems to be bugging me more than ever (why do I have to pick up litter around my house every other day? why did my private gate fence get busted down and my second lawnmower in a year get stolen? why do 3rd grade kids around my way cuss worse than the dirtiest sailor? why do parents of 2-year old children let them ride on dirt bikes, and then not turn in the rider of the dirtbike who caused someone's death?). I'm hoping it's all a rut and that the summer will slow me down and let me re-focus on the things that I need to make me happy, starting with my health but continuing with just getting out there more, especially meeting new people. As of now, I had a good year with my students, but that's about it.